Pistol shaped rule case



July 15, 1958 -c. HU BBERT 2,842,853

PISTOL SHAPED Rugs CASE Filed Jan. 15, 1954 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

cz //v7 #055597,

ATTORNEYS.

July 15, 1958 c. HUBBERT PISTOL SHAPED RULE CASE WSMM WQ Filed Jan. 15, 1954 United States Patent ce PISTOL SHAPED RULE CASE Clint Hubbert, Guin, Ala.

Application January 15, 1954, Serial No. 404,188

3 Claims. c1. 33-138) This invention relates to a pistol-shaped combined rule and measuring tape device.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, more efiicient, more versatile and more convenient device of this kind, which in addition to providing rule and tape measuring components, incorporates a marking pencil and tape anchor pin.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a left-hand end view of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a right-hand end view of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevation on a reduced scale, similar to Figure 2, showing the rule and the tape extended;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 1; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary contracted side elevation partially in section showing the telescopic rule partially extended.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the improved device therein shown and designated generally 10 comprises a barrel 12 having a bore 14 extending longitudinally therethrough. Carried by the barrel at its rear end and extending laterally outwardly therefrom is a pistol grip 16 having a circular chamber 18 intermediate its sides and a passage 20 which communicates with the chamber 18 and opens through the butt end of the pistol grip remote from the barrel 12. Formed in the underside of the barrel 12 intermediate the ends thereof is an opening 22 which opens into the forward end of a longitudinal passage or chamber 24 formed in the pistol grip 16 along the barrel 12 and extending into an opening 26 which extends through the pistol grip and defines a trigger guard 28. An opening 30 extends between the chamber 24 and the opening 26.

Pivotally mounted as at 32 in the passage 24 and extending through the barrel opening 22 is a latch 34 having a depending trigger 36 which extends through the opening 30 and into the opening 26 between the trigger guard and adjacent the pistol grip 16. It will thus be seen that movement of the trigger 36 will cause the latch 34 to move in an arcuate path about the pivot 32 and into and out of the bore 14 of the barrel 12. An expanding coil spring 38 is seated in a recess 40 formed in the pistol grip 16 which recess opens into the chamber 24 in registration with the opening 22 and urges the latch 34 upwardly into the barrel bore 14.

Mounted in the chamber 18 in the pistol grip is a conventional spring wound measuring tape 42, the free end of which is projected through the passage 20 and is 2,842,853 Patented July 15, 1958 equipped with a stop 44 arranged to engage the butt end of the pistol grip 16 on the winding up of the tape.

Entering the rear end of the barrel bore 14 is a rule designated generally 46 which comprises a tubular case 48 having on its rear a head 50 which is adapted to engage the rear end of the barrel 12 and telescoped in the case 48 are telescopic rule sections 52 which, as illustrated in Figure 5, are adapted to be extended longitudinally relative to one another to provide a relatively stiff and rigid measuring rule. The innermost telescopic section 52 is provided on its forward end with a head 54 which forms a finger grip by means of which the rule may be extended, as illustrated in Figure 5.

Mounted on the upper side of the barrel 12 is a longitudinal tube 56 whichis provided intermediate its ends with a partition wall 58 and a longitudinal'slot 60 is formed in the top of the tube 56 and extends from the partition wall 58 through the forward end of the tube 56, the purpose of which is hereinafter described. A longitudinal leaf spring 62 is secured within the tube 56 adjacent the rear end thereof to act as a gripping device for frictionally engaging a pencil inserted into the rear end of the tube 56.

Slida'bly inserted in the forward end of the tube 56 is an anchor pin 64 carrying intermediate its ends a finger grip 66 which projects laterally outwardly through the slot 60 to facilitate longitudinal movement of the pin 64 relative to the tubular body 56 and barrel 12. Suitable slide rings 68 and 70 are carried respectively by the anchor pin 64 and the tube 56, and formed on the forward end of the anchoring pin 64 which is disposed forwardly beyond the end of the tube 56 and the barrel 12 is a sharpened point 72 which facilitates insertion of the anchor pin 64 into the ground.

In use, when it is desired to measure relatively short distances, i. e., amounting to only four feet or so, the telescopically extensible rule 46 is extended, :as illustrated in Figure 5, or if preferred, the rule case 48 and the telescopic portions 52 thereof may be removed as a unit from the barrel 12 by simply pulling rearwardly on the trigger 36 so as to depress the latch 34, against the resistance of the spring 38, out of holding engagement with the rule and then exerting rearward pull on the head 50. When the device is to be used for measuring relatively long distances, the anchoring pin 64 is removed from the forward end of the tube 56 and thrust into the ground. The free end of the tape 42 is then engaged with the anchor pin and the tape 42 unsealed from the chamber 18 to the extent required.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rule case, an elongated barrel having a forward end and a rearward end and a smooth longitudinal bore, a pistol grip including a trigger guard fixed on the barrel near its rearward end, said trigger guard having an opening said pistol grip having a chamber extending longitudinally of the barrel, said barrel having a side wall provided with an opening communicating with said chamber and said pistol grip having an opening reaching to and between said chamber and the trigger guard opening, an elongated latch having a forward end and a rearward end, said latch being positioned longitudinally in said chamber with its forward end extending through the barrel side wall opening, means pivoting the rearward end of the latch on the pistol grip, a trigger on the rearward end of said latch extending through the pistol grip opening into the trigger guard opening, spring means acting between the pistol grip and the forward end of thelatch and urging the forward end of the latch through the barrel side wall opening into the barrel bore, and a removable rigid rule slidably engaged in the barrel bore an'dretainably held in place therein by the forward'end of theflatch, saidcrule having a forward end and a rear end having an enlarged head engaging the rearward end of the'barrels'oastoTpreelude forward movement of the rule in the barrlrbeyon d a position in which the forward end of the-rule is at the forward end of the barrel. I

2. In a rule case, an elongated barrel having a forward end and a rearward end and a smoothlongitudinalbore, a pistol gripincluding a trigger guard fixed on the barrel near its rearward end, said trigger guard having an opening, said pistol grip having a chamber'exte'nding longitudinally of the barrel, said barrel having a side wall provided with an opening communicating with said chamber and said pistol grip having an opening'reaching to and between said chamber and the trigger guard opening, an elongated latch having a forward end and a rearward end, said latch being positioned longitudinally in said chamber with its'forward end extending through the barrel side wall opening, means pivoting the rearward end of the'latch on the pistol grip, a trigger on the rearward end of said latch extending through the pistol grip opening into the trigger guard opening, spring means acting between the pistol grip and the forward end of the latch and urging the forward end of the'latch through the barrel side wall opening into the barrel bore, and a removable rigid rule slidably engaged in thebarrel bore and retainably held in place therein by the forward end of the latch,

said rule having a forward end and a rear end having an enlarged head engaging the rearward end of the barrel so as to preclude forward movement of the rule in the barrel beyond a position in which the forward end of the rule is at the forward end of the barrel, said rule comprising a plurality of slidably telescoped sections including an outer section slidably fitting the barrel bore, and an i inner rule section having'aforward end having a forward 1y projecting rule extending head.

3. In a device of the character described, an elongated barrel having open forward and rear ends, a pistol grip fixed-to and projecting laterally from said'barrel, a rule comprising a tubular case engaged in and extending along said barrel, said case having a forward end and a rear end, telescoped rule sections normally disposed within said case, said sections being telescopically extensible beyond the forward end of the case and beyond the forward end of said barrel for measuring distances while the device is held by said pistol grip, said rule case-being slidably engaged in said barrel having-an enlarged head'on its rear end'normally engaged with the-rear end of the barrel and serving as means for rearwardly withdrawing the rule from the barrel.

References Cited in the file of'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,434,528 Crogan Nov. 7, 1922 2,676,698 Pauly Apt: 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,248 Great'Britain May 4, 1901 

